WENTZVILLE, MO – St. Charles County emergency response training was more timely than ever Friday. SCC EMS and Fire District teamed up with the Wentzville School District to train with a simulated school bus crash scenario.
The event was all staged, but the training and response were real. Although this training was scheduled in advance, it was timely following a Parkway school bus crash the day before along I-44.
“It highlights why this training is so incredibly important for first responders because you never know when this might occur,” said Kyle Gaines, St. Charles County (SCC) EMS.
The training area was dramatically set up to recreate a high-speed interstate crash involving three school buses, three passengers cars and several mannequins in every vehicle.
Responders practiced safely removing the mannequins from the mangled vehicles and treating them for their injuries, which were specifically given to each mannequin on a piece of paper taped to them.
“Everything from the minor cuts, scrapes, bruises, all the way up to individuals who are not breathing,” said Gaines.
Wentzville School District provided the space and resources for EMS and Fire to train. They wanted to be involved in the process of emergency response in these types of situations.
“Heaven forbid, and we do pray that nothing ever happens, but we want to make sure our first responders have everything they need in terms of availability of resources and ability to actually practice what could potentially be needed on sight,” said Curtis Cain, Wentzville School District superintendent, “We’re all working together wrapping around our students to do everything we can to keep them safe on a daily basis.”
No one was hurt in this training since it was just a simulation. The buses used were retired and no longer operating.
